Dedham field hockey aiming to repeat with next generation

DEDHAM -- Frank Barbuto has been coaching one sport or another for 33 years at Dedham High School, and he says he has no pretensions about the way things really are.

For instance, he had a terrific field hockey team last year, perhaps the best of his tenure as head coach, going 23-0-1. Led by three All-Scholastics -- Jill and Rachel Wilkes, who are now playing for Northeastern University, and goalie Erin MacDonald, who has taken her talent to Worcester State College -- the Marauders rolled through the Bay State League and went on to win the state Division 3 championship.

But, despite all that talent, Barbuto had not expected to win it all.

''You have to be good to make the state tournament, but you have to be lucky to win the state title," he said. He believes there are so many great teams in Massachusetts high school field hockey that when two square off, it comes down to which team gets the breaks.

Last year, Dedham got the breaks en route to its first state championship.

This year, the Marauders are not rebuilding; they are simply reloading. Sure, it will be difficult to repeat as state champions. But they have the guns to do it.

The most difficult position to fill for Dedham was in goal.

MacDonald was the only field hockey netminder in four years at the varsity level for Dedham. No one else really had been in net since she took control.

But there was another high-profile goalie in school, although she wasn't a field hockey player. As the goalie for the Dedham High girls' hockey team, Christina Sweeney had been simply outstanding, earning Globe All-Scholastic honors last winter for the second straight year. She posted 10 shutouts last season, giving her 38 for her career.

Barbuto knew her well. ''We joked around for the last couple of years about having her go out for the field hockey team," said Barbuto. ''This year she did it and has made a spectacular conversion."

Playing goalie in field hockey is much different from playing the position in ice hockey. On the ice, the goal is 4-feet wide; in field hockey, it is three times wider.

In ice hockey, when the puck is dancing around in front of the net, the goalie can grab it. ''You can't do that in field hockey; it's a penalty," said Barbuto.

The Marauders are off to a 6-1 start. Dedham's only loss was to perennial powerhouse Walpole, in a 5-3 thriller that was worth the price of admission.

So far this year, Dedham has shown poise on offense, but is young and inexperienced on defense, where the Marauders are feeling the loss of Kara Murphy, a two-time Bay State League All-Star now playing for the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

''It's difficult losing talented players like the Wilkes sisters, and Murphy and MacDonald, but when they played for us, they were terrific role models. They inspired others who were underclassmen to dedicate themselves to becoming like them," said Barbuto.

The Marauders' front line can score with anybody. It consists of senior captain Brigitte Leonard at right forward, junior Emily Stefans at center forward, and sophomore Katie Kelly at left forward. Each has notched a hat trick in a game, this season.

Kelly played junior varsity all of last season, scoring 24 goals. She did so well Barbuto elevated her to the varsity for the state tournament, and she responded by scoring four goals.

Dedham depends on its captains for leadership. In addition to Leonard, the skippers are Kara Guittarr, a forward; Nicole Welch, a sweeper; and Tracy Healey, a defensive back.

And if they get the right breaks, they could wind up with another state title.